Be careful of starchy obesity in summer. Bananas and sweet potatoes are essential for weight loss.

In the hot summer, eating the right food and exercising more are the only ways to lose weight. Doctors point out that improving metabolism and satiety are two key factors for successful weight loss. To stay away from summer starchy obesity, you can use the Mediterranean diet or the Nordic diet to assist in weight loss, but you should still reduce the intake of cold foods and fats to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Resistant starch foods to aid weight loss

According to a survey conducted by the Weight Loss Health Education Consultation Clinic, the key to obesity among the domestic obese population is mostly related to uncontrolled eating. In summer, starchy obesity is more common, while in winter, fat obesity is more common. Liu Bowen, executive director of the Taiwan Obesity Prevention and Treatment Health Education Association and a weight loss specialist, pointed out that in the summer when the temperature is high, the body will automatically lower its basal metabolic rate in order to regulate the rise in body temperature. Starch is one of the main sources of calories, and once it is consumed too much, it is easy to develop starchy obesity.

In fact, it’s not that starch is not edible. Whole grains and root tubers such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, brown rice, and bananas are all rich in dietary fiber.

It is recommended that obese people can choose to eat "resistant starch foods". For example, sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber and potassium ions, which are helpful for controlling blood pressure and eliminating edema. In addition, bananas are "happy foods" that are rich in serum hormones, which can promote metabolism, increase satiety, and help inhibit obesity.

In addition, the Mediterranean diet and Nordic diet, which are currently popular in China, can also help with weight loss. The two diets are very similar, emphasizing plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and good fats. The most obvious difference is that olive oil is at the heart of the Mediterranean diet, while rapeseed oil is at the heart of the Nordic diet.

Pay attention to oil selection when assisting weight loss

Dr. Liu Bowen emphasized that these two types of oils have their own advantages and disadvantages. Olive oil generally contains more antioxidants, but also more saturated fat. On the contrary, like olive oil, rapeseed oil has a high content of monounsaturated fat, but it has more polyunsaturated fat than olive oil.

It is worth noting that if rapeseed oil is cooked at high temperatures, its unsaturated fatty acids are relatively unstable and easily oxidized and deteriorated, forming cyanide which is harmful to the human body; while olive oil’s saturated fatty acids are highly stable and are less likely to deteriorate even when fried. However, if used repeatedly at high temperatures, the oil will still deteriorate and there is a risk of vascular sclerosis.

Eat less ice in summer and choose food carefully to help lose weight

Doctors also remind people that in the hot summer, people often eat ice cream or cold food to cool off. These foods will reduce gastrointestinal activity and slow down metabolism. In addition, people do not like to bask in the sun and only have a small amount of activity. These factors make it difficult for people to lose weight and more likely to gain weight in the summer.

Basically, icy foods can be eaten, but in small quantities. It is recommended to let the food cool down a little before eating, which will help the body's metabolism. At the same time, you should choose foods that are rich in dietary fiber, protein and high in density, and chew them slowly when eating to increase your sense of fullness and reduce the risk of obesity in summer.